Music Video of the Day: Neon Future by Steve Aoki feat. Luke Steele (2019, dir by Mike Harris)


The future is always neon.

If there’s anything that films set in the future always seem to have in common, it’s that there’s a lot of neon.  In fact, the only futuristic films that aren’t full of neon are those films that take place after an atomic war, where everyone’s living in the desert and driving around on motorcycles.  But even those films often seem to end with the promise that, once society is up and running again, we’ll get a lot of neon.

Personally, I’m hoping that I’ll spend my retirement years in a hot pink house with neon walls.

The other thing that the future always seems to have is a divide between the decadent rich and the rebellious lower classes, the majority of whom seem to spend a lot of time wandering down red hallways.  Maybe one reason why everyone in the future always seems to be fighting is because there’s so much red around.  Maybe if they used blue neon, everyone would calm down and accept their social status.

Who knows?  I guess we’ll have to wait and see.  I imagine it should be the future in another two years or so.

Until then, enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: What About Us? by Gary Clark, Jr. (2019, dir by Savannah Leaf)


Today’s music video of the day comes to use from Austin’s own Gary Clark, Jr.

The video for What About Us? takes place in and around a trailer park and it really does capture the feel of the place.  Now, before anyone asks, I’ve never lived in a trailer park but I’ve visited more than a few.  Trailer parks are often both ominous and hopeful at the same time.  While you definitely see some people who have fallen on hard times, you also see a lot of acts of small kindness.  There’s a community spirit to a good trailer park.  When you’re on the outskirts of “acceptable” society, it’s always good to have people who you can depend upon.

This video was directed by Savannah Leaf, who also did the video for Clark’s This Land.  The gorgeous black-and-white cinematography is credited to Isaac Bauman.  Bauman has served as director of photography on several music videos.  He’s got 66 credits listed at the Imvdb, including Avicii’s Broken Arrow.

(We miss you, Avicii!)

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Killing Spree by Chromatics (2008, dir by Alberto Rossini)


Who is getting killed and who is doing the killing?

The video kinda starts out like a typical Friday the 13th-influenced slasher film so I’m sure that would lead many to suspect that Jason Voorhees or some other immortal backwoods zombie is lurking around in the shadows, carrying a machete.

I think it’s just as possible that the video could be an homage to a 70s redneck rampage movie.  So, maybe the threat is coming from a toothless mountain mnn.  I will say, however, the real-life toothless mountain men are always a lot nicer than they’re portrayed in the movies.  Or at least, they are if they’re the type of mountain men who grow weed instead of cooking meth.

Or maybe it’s the dog.  I’m tempted to blame the dog but that’s just because I have a long-standing fear of dogs.  Way back when I was like ten, my family went to a lake and there was this big dog that showed up out of nowhere and followed us around everywhere and acted really friendly.  But then, suddenly, it stopped, took one look at me, and started to growl.  My mom told me not to move while my uncle tried to calm it down.  Of course, telling a terrified ten year-old not to move almost always has the opposite effect and, before I knew it, the dog was charging right at me.  Anyway, I kinda blacked out at that point so I’m not sure what exactly happened next.  Apparently, my uncle was able to hold the dog off until its owners finally showed up and retrieved it.  For years afterwards, I was absolutely terrified of dogs but now I’ve reached the point where they only make me nervous.

(It’s sad because, deep down, I really want to like dogs, if just because they make me feel so guilty if I don’t act happy to see them.)

Anyway, regardless of who is or is not getting killed or doing the killing in this video, this is still another wonderfully hypnotic mood piece from Chromatics and this atmospheric video is the perfect companion piece,

Enjoy!

 

Music Video of the Day: My Heart by Adi Ulmansky (2013, dir by Adi Ulmansky and Nir Perry)


“Oh my God, Adi Ulmansky stole that kid’s skateboard!”

Good for her!  That kid didn’t look like he really appreciated his skateboard and she let him keep his ice cream cone so what’s he crying about?

“OH MY GOD!  ADI ULMANSKY HAS GOT A CHAINSAW!”

And again, good for her!  Sometimes, you need a chainsaw to get through this crazy world of ours.  My Heart was included on Adi’s Shit Just Got Real mixtape and you know what?  Sometimes, when shit gets real, you need a chainsaw!

As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, my BFF Evelyn and I absolutely love Adi Ulmansky and this video shows why.  She doesn’t let anything get in her way and if she cuts her finger, she just uses the blood for decoration.  All of us should be so strong.

Add to that, the black cat in this video reminds me of Doc.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: How You Like Me Now? by The Heavy (2009, dir by ????)


Today’s music video of the day is dedicated to everyone who will be going home with an Oscar later today.

I like this song.  Whether it’s a Kia commercial or a David O. Russell film, this song provides the perfect score for just about anything.  This is a song that inspires you to walk into a room and take over.  It’s a song that inspires you to never settle for getting stuck in a traffic.  This is a song that makes you want to move and the video captures that feeling perfectly.

I assume the video is a player on the Little Red Riding Hood story.  I like the cartoon skeletons.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Time Rider by Chromatics (2019, dir by Chromatics)


If this video inspires you to have a Twin Peaks flashback, do not be concerned.  You’re not alone.  I had the exact same reaction.

During Twin Peaks: The Return, Chromatics made three appearances as the band playing at the roadhouse and their dream-like music fit in perfectly with David Lynch’s enigmatic portrait of America in the 21st Century.  Lynch also directed several videos for the Chromatics, though he didn’t direct this one.  This video is credited to the band itself.  Still, watching and listening, you can definitely see why Lynch was inspired to include this band in his masterwork.

Enjoy!

Music Video Of The Day: All the Black by Cat Clyde (2019, dir by Christopher Good)


I don’t know.  A part of me feels like I should have held off on this video until October rolled around.  It definitely has a sort of nightmarish quality to it.  But, as I watched the video, I realized that it was basically almost exactly like a dream that I had a few nights ago so I took that a sign and I decided to go ahead and share it.

Basically, there’s some really messed up stuff going on in that house.  And really, this is why you need to keep an eye on trees, vines, and outdoor graves.  Because if you’re not careful, that stuff going to start invading your home and then you’ll never get rid of it all.

Has someone been murdered in the house?  Possibly.  Then again, you could probably say that about every house in America.  In fact, there could be a ghost sneaking up on you right now.  Who knows, right?

Enjoy!

Confession of a TV Addict #13: Remembering Peter Tork and The Monkees


gary loggins's avatarcracked rear viewer

Before the advent of cable and MTV and music videos, there was The Monkees. Now I know some of you are going give me flak about “The Pre-Fab Four”, how they weren’t a real band, just a commercialized, bubblegum TV concept, so let me put this in perspective… if you were an eight-year-old kid  like me back in The Monkees’ heyday, you watched the show every week, bought the records, and actually enjoyed them! That’s where I’m coming from, and that’s why I’m writing this tribute to the late Peter Tork, who passed away today of cancer at age 77.

Peter Thorkleson was born in Washington, D.C. on February 13, 1942, and as a child loved music, learning to play piano, guitar, bass, and banjo early on. After college, he shortened his name to Tork and hit New York City, becoming part of the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk scene. He…

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